The present invention relates to a cassette loading apparatus for a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus such as, for example, a video tape recorder (VTR), and, more particularly, to a small-sized light-weight cassette loading apparatus.
A mechanism for loading a magnetic tape recording cassette into a recording/reproducing apparatus has been proposed which includes a slide type mechanism provided with a cassette loading section formed on a movable chassis. After the tape cassette has been loaded in the recording/reproducing apparatus through the loading section, the cassette is positioned in a recording/reproducing mode by a sliding movement of the movable chassis.
A slide type loading mechanism of the aforementioned type is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Unexamined Publications 59-171070 and 61-271651.
In the loading apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication 59-171070, a cassette holder is mounted on a tape cassette loading section so as to be movable up and down through cross-link type levers. In order to load the tape cassette into the recording/reproducing apparatus, the cassette is inserted into the cassette holder, and the holder is depressed and moved toward the tape cassette loading section. Thus, the tape cassette is loaded in the loading section and, thereafter, the cassette is moved to the recording/reproducing position by the movement of the loading section.
In the loading mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication 61-271651, a cassette holder is pivotably mounted on a slide chassis, with the cassette including inner and outer double holders, and with the outer holder being movable relative to the tape cassette, whereby, even if any external force is applied to the holder after the completion of the tape cassette, such force would not adversely affect the position of the cassette and, at the same time, damage to the slide mechanism is avoided.
In the above-described conventional mechanism, the tape cassette is loaded in a vicinity of the recording/reproducing apparatus. While this is suitable for a camera integrated type portable VTR, there has been a demand that such a VTR be reduced in size and weight. It is thus desired to further miniaturize the tape cassette loading apparatus.